Expansible wheel



Nov. 5, 1946. v A.- VONNEGUT EXPANSIBLE WHEEL Filed Oct. 51, 1945 INVENTOR. fl/vraw VON/V567? Patented Nov. 5, 1%46 V 'EXPANSIBLE WHEEL Anton Vonnegut, Indianapolis, find as'signorto Vonnegut Moulder Corporation,"Indianapolis,

'Ind., a corporation Application October 31, 1945, Serial'No.625;805

7 Claims.

1 "inventionrelates to an 'expansible wheel, applicable for mounting or'controlling endless "grinding 'orbufling belts or bands of abrasive for providing anabrasive surface.

It'isthe objectof this invention to provide an expansible wheel of this character adapted to be expanded to'i'ncrease its diameter for engagement with an abrasive belt or band through the action '-of---centrifugal force upon operative rotation. The

wherein each of 'saidsegments is formed to provide a resilient cushioned periphery to enable the wheel tocon'form to minor Variations and contours of the article to be worked, but more par- --ticularly-wherein the independent mounting of the individual segments permits of increased variations in the surface of the wheel to conform to more extreme contours.

The full nature of the invention will be understood irom the accompanying drawing and the followin 'description and-claims:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of the expansibl wheel showing the left side thereof-with theparts in expanded position, a and the right side I thereof inLnormaLposition,and with-a portion at the top thereof; broken away to show said wheel in section,

Fig.2.is.-a centra1 vertical section through the upper portionofthe wheel, with the spindle shown in elevation.

wIn'the .jdr'awing there is shown an expansible wheel which, through the action of centrifugal force upon opeiative rotation, is caused .to expand radially or enlarge itself into operative engagement with an endless abrasive band or belt. As illustrated herein, and showing one modification of the invention, there is provided a central hub In carrying end bearing supports ll secured to each end thereof, and which bearing supports are keyed or otherwise secured to a rotating spindle 12 which may be driven by an electric motor or any other suitable power source. Each end of the hub is flanged to provide a shoulder as indicated at 13 to receive the opposed spaced annular end plates l4 and I5, respectively, to provide a rim mounting. The inner portions of said plates are clamped and locked against the shoulders l3 of the hub by a corresponding and nesting portion of the bearing supports II. For this purpose the bolts l6 extend at spaced intervals about the bearing members through apertures provided linith'e end plates I l, l and into the shouldered fl'angeskofthe'hublo. V v

' Each of said endplates' M, 15. is provided with a series of radially-extending elongated slots 1 l 5 equally spa'c'edin annular arrangement "thereabout. Mounted for slidable movement-between and *c'arriediby 'sai'd end-plates there 'is"a series of truncatedi'rim forming sectionsluarranged facetofacednannular formation. The adjacent 0 faces ofsaidsecti'ons extend-in radial planes radiatingfrom-the axial center-of thehub; "Each of said sections is'provided'with a pair of spaced supporting members; such as the rods l9; -20 extending longitudinally therethrough from one end 15 to theotherwith their ends-extending "through the respective slots ll; Each pair of said rods lies in the same radial plane withthe spacing'between 1 their outer surfaces being less than the 'len'gthpfthe elongated slots 'in which they are carried-so thateach- -pair of rods is permitted to slide'inte'r mediate the ends thereof; Preferably =tlie-ends-of said rods which engage for sliding m'ove ment within'the slots are-reduced toprovide I a bearing-- shoulder indicated at r 2 I of greater --diameter-than the Width of the slots l1, so as to 's'l-i'dably bear against the innersurfaoes of the end plates 14, I5.

Each o'fthe-outer exposed faces of said'sections' has mounted thereon *a yielding pad 22, ao which may comprise sponge rubber, felt or like material. "said sections and pads are so formed and relateli that when the innermost rods seat adjacent the innermost'ends of the elongated slots,i the 'outer surfaces of the seriesof pads'form 1awheeladapted to receive' thereabout or engage an endless belt or band 23 of abrasive material, such as sandpaper, emery cloth or the like. such retracted position of the sections shown in Fig. 1, the en-dlessbelt or band may be con- 40 veniently slipped in place over the periphery of the wheel or removed therefrom. Upon the wheel being rotated at an operative speed by the spindle It, the action of centrifugal force will throw the sections 18 radially outward. In their outermost position, guided and limited by the supporting members or rods sliding. in the slots ll, they will engage the endless abrasive belt to stretch it under the yieldin force applied to the sponge rubber pads 23,

In such expanded position, as shown in the left-hand side of Fig. 1, the expansible wheel may be operated to apply the abrasive .band or belt for grinding, bufiing or polishin during operative rotation thereof. By reason of the pads, the 55 abrasive surface is rendered yielding to contours as Well as the individual slidably mounted rimforming sections. Upon the wheel being brought to rest, said sections may be collapsed inwardly to retracted position to permit ready disengagement or removal and replacement of the abrasive belt.

The invention claimed is:

1. An expansible wheel for application to I an endless abrasive belt comprising; afhub, an annular rim mounting secured to said hub to extend radially outwardly thereof, said end mounting being provided with a series of substantially radially extending elongated slots equally spaced d hub and independently slidable between said plates, a pair of spaced supporting pins carried by each of said sections slidably carried in said slots respectively to permit of limited radial movement of their respective sections, and a resilient pad mounted upon the outer exposed face of each section, said sections being slidable radially out- ;wardby centrifugal force to engage and stretch the abrasivebelt upon operativerotation thereof.

5. An expansible wheel for application to an 7 endless abrasive belt, comprising a hub, an annuthereabout, a series of truncated. rim-forming sections, and radially extending projections carrying said sections extending into the elongated slots of said mounting and slidable therein .to maintain said. sections in juxtaposition while permitting radial movement thereof .-outwardly to expanded position under the influence of centrifugal force upon operative rotation thereof.

2. An expansible wheel for application-to an endless abrasive belt, comprising an annular rim mounting, a series of truncated rim forming sec- ,tions mounted face to face in annular formation,

means for slidably supporting said sections upon said mounting to permit their radial movement relative thereto, said sections when retracted being adapted to engage the endless belt and being movablefradially outward thereagainst under the cries of said mounting to provide an annular surface forengagement with said belt, and a yielding cushionsecured over the faces of each of said sections for yielding engagement with said belt upon said sections being thrown radially outwardly under the influenceof centrifugal forceupon operative rotation thereof. y 1;;

4. An expansible wheel for application to an endless abrasive belt, comprising a hub, apair of annular end plates secured to said hubin spaced relation, said end plate being provided with a series ofsubstantially radially-extending elongated slotsequally spaced thereabout concentrical1y ;with saidhub, a series of truncated rimforming sections mounted face to face about said lar rim mounting secured to said hub, a series of truncated rim-forming sections mounted face to face about said hub and slidable radially upon said mounting, and pin and slot means for slidabl'y supporting and guiding said sections upon said mounting, for limited radial sliding movement relative thereto, said pin and slot means permitting said sections to collapse for providing the wheel with an annular peripheral surface to loosely engage the endless abrasive belt While permitting radial and individual movement'of said sections outwardly to expanded wheel position under the influence of centrifugal force for stretching said belt upon"operative rotation thereof.

' 6. An expansible wheel for application to an endless abrasive belt, comprising a hub, an annular rim mounting secured to said hub, a series of truncated rim-forming sections mounted face to face about said hub and slidable radially of said mounting, pin and slot means for slidably securing andguiding'said sections 'upon said mounting for limited radial sliding .movement therebetween, and a resilient pad secured over the outer exposed surface 'of each of said sections, saidpin and slot means permitting said sections to collapse for providing the wheel with an annular peripheral surface to loosely engage the endless abrasive .beltwhile permitting radial and individual movement of said sections outwardly to expanded wheel position under the influence of centrifugal force for engaging and stretching said belt upon operative rotation thereof. V

7. An abrading wheel having two spaceddiscs; means for connecting said discs in axiallyaligned positions; transversely'aligned, radial. guides formed in the discs, adja cent the peripheries thereof; transversely disposed weights freely mounted in the guides; and an oversized abrading band surrounding the weights and adapted upon rotation of the wheel to be held under tension by contact with, andthe centrifugal force set up by, the weights.

p ANTON VONNEGUT.

Disclaimer 2,410, 536.-Anton Vonnegut, Indianapolis, Ind. EXPANSIBLE WHEEL. Patent dated Nov. 5, 1946. Disclaimer filed Oct. 11, 1948, by the assignee, Vonnegut Moulder Corporation.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of claim 2 in said specification which is in the following words, to wit:

A series of truncated rim forming sections other than wherein said rim forming sections are wedge-shaped with their major defining faces extending at an angle to each other, and

Means for slidably supporting said sections upon said mounting other than wherein said sections slide upon said mounting, and said means is of a rigid character and not flexible or yielding.

[Ofiicial Gazette November 9, 1948.] 

